93 – Sephia Libaeden 3
He had never forgotten the memory of that day, not even for a single day.
The village, which had been laughing and running around just a moment ago, suddenly burned down and only ashes fluttered in the air.
Instead of the joyous sounds of laughter and chatter that had filled the day with unusual stories, only the screams of the villagers echoed desperately.
Until the screams of the villagers completely disappeared, when he was hiding in the embrace of his already deceased parents, he heard a voice he had never heard before in his life.
“What? I have to go back now?”
It was a tone that sounded like a young child complaining about not wanting to go home after playing.
He couldn’t possibly think that these were the first words uttered after burning down a village and ruthlessly slaughtering its people.
“There’s still one bug left… Hm, what should I do?”
The body that had been hiding in the embrace of his deceased parents trembled.
That man knows he’s hiding right now.
The warmth from the arms of my deceased parents was no longer felt as I tightly held their lifeless hands, trembling uncontrollably.
“Leaving behind a single bug wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“Haa… Haa…”
Pathetically, when I finally took a breath, finding solace in my survival, the bodies of my parents exploded.
Ah.
The flesh of my parents rose up to the sky and then fell heavily to the ground.
Flesh, bones, organs, all scattered on the floor.
The young girl locked eyes with her father’s fallen gaze.
“aaahhhhh!!!!”
The man, upon witnessing the girl’s scream, burst into laughter as he approached.
“hehehe! Did you really think I would spare your life, little one?”
A sinister black aura enveloped the man’s body.
Holding onto her mother’s fallen hand and crying on the floor, there was nothing else the girl could do.
“hehehe! Little one, shall I tell you why the pests here died?”
The man looked at the trembling girl, his smirk twisted and eerie.
Her body trembled. Even when faced with the man who had killed her parents, there was nothing the young girl could do.
“The old man told me to pass through quietly, but you know what? I heard laughter here.”
I heard laughter.
That was the reason the man had killed everyone in the village.
‘So I killed them all. If you’re a bug, you should cry like a bug. How dare you laugh like a human!’
The man who chuckled suddenly turned serious and said as he looked at the girl screaming.
‘You, I’ll spare you. Survive, and when you encounter a human like me in the future, let the other bugs know they should cry like insects.’
With that, the man, who had once laughed in the peaceful village, excluding the girl with pink hair who was still a child at the time, killed everyone and left the village.
Though there were moments when the girl, now adopted by the kind parents of the Reviden Marquis and living as a cheerful sister with a cute younger sibling, smiled, she never forgot the man who had killed the villagers, not even once.
The faces of her original parents gradually faded from memory, but every night, she forcibly recalled the man’s face, voice, and manner of speaking.
Someday, if by chance she saw his face or heard his voice, she could kill him.
Her current parents were kind and good, treating the adopted child and biological sister equally, but sometimes the thought of living revenge-free with her family crossed her mind.
When such thoughts arose, she forcibly brought back the dreadful nightmare of that day to nurture the vengeful feelings.
Even with the power of the Reviden Marquis, the most prominent merchant family in the empire, she couldn’t find out the name of the man who killed the village over the span of more than ten years…
“What did you just say?”
Roki grabbed Loki’s collar roughly and shouted.
“The one who killed Sepia’s parents. I know who it is.”
The same words that Loki had just heard were repeated, confirming that it wasn’t a misunderstanding.
“If you’re joking, I won’t forgive you, even if you’re you.”
“I don’t joke about this. I know the name, abilities, and even the comrades of the person Sepia is looking for.”
Kugugugugung!!!!!
Suddenly, the ground where Sepia and Loki were shook.
The stormy wind swept through, and a torrential rain poured down within the training ground.
And flames enveloped Loki and Sepia.
It was because the spirit sensed Sepia’s emotions and went into a frenzy.
The wind tousled the hair of the two.
Sepia, ignoring the cold rain, waited for Loki’s words.
Loki, disregarding the intense heat, opened his mouth.
“Betzdo is the one who killed Sepia’s parents and the villagers. A necromancer.”
“………….Betzdo.”
Sepia murmured Betzdo’s name as if chewing on it.
The importance of that name outweighed the fact that a long-lost necromancer was alive.
Loki, looking at Sepia, who was alive with vitality, spoke with a pitiful look in his eyes.
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“I don’t know exactly where Betzdo is right now, but I know someone who knows the location.”
Sepia grabbed Loki’s collar, toppled him, and climbed on top.
“Tell me who knows right now.”
“What do you think will happen if I tell you?”
If she knew the whereabouts of the man who killed her parents, there was only one thing to do.
“Of course, I’ll find him and kill him.”
Revenge.
Revenge for the villagers and her parents.
She had grown stronger all this time for that revenge.
“If it’s Sephia, she’s 100% dead.”
Sepia, waiting for Loki’s response, heard his composed voice.
It was a cold remark that seemed to accurately know the man’s abilities and her own current strength.
“First, become stronger. If Sephia reaches a level where she can defeat Betzdo, I will tell Sephia about the existence that knows Betzdo’s location.”
“No, tell me right now.”
She had already waited for over 10 years.
She couldn’t wait any longer.
“Haah……….”
The sound of Loki’s low sigh, which she had never heard before, flowed into Sephia’s ears.
-Whoosh, clang!
In an instant, Sephia and Loki’s positions were reversed.
Sephia was lying on the ground, and Loki was standing on top of her.
“The Sephia now is weak. To the point where she can be easily subdued by me.”
Loki grabbed Sephia’s neck and spoke in a low voice.
“So what! Are you telling me to give up on revenge? Or do you want me to kill that bastard instead of you!!”
Sephia shouted with a voice full of anger.
Her tears fell to the ground.
She knew she was weak.
Even now, her body trembles when she recalls that day.
She tried to become stronger for the sake of revenge, but the target of her revenge was nowhere to be seen.
Now that I finally know the man’s name and his whereabouts. He told me to wait because I am weak.
“No. I have no intention of avenging Sophia, and I certainly have no intention of telling her to give up on revenge.”
Loki realized why Sophia, who wanted revenge, continued to bother him.
Originally, he had planned to kill Bets instead of Sophia, but his mind changed.
“Sophia, I recently succeeded in avenging my siblings, whose names I didn’t even know.”
“……………………”
“Some say that forgetting revenge and living happily is the best revenge…”
Loki muttered with a cold sneer.
“That’s nonsense.”
“…………”
“Those who truly desire revenge can never live happily until they have their revenge. Forgetting revenge is also naturally impossible.”
“…You said I’m weak.”
“Yes, you are weak right now.”
“…You said if I fight, I will lose 100%.”
“Yes, if you fight now, you will lose 100%. However…”
Loki released Sophia’s throat, stood up, and reached out his hand.
“I am here by your side, Sophia. I will help you so that you can have your revenge.”
Sophia wiped her reddened eyes with her hand and stole a tear. Then she took Loki’s outstretched hand and stood up.
“You said earlier that you have no intention of avenging me.”
“I said I have no intention of avenging in your place, but I didn’t say I have no intention of helping.”
Loki pulled out the white mask he always carried in the spatial void.
“So, please don’t cry.”
And slowly placed it on Sepia’s face.
“……………………”
Perhaps because the cold mask touched her face, Sepia felt a sense of calm.
“What do I do now if revenge is all I can do? I’ll do anything.”
Sepia clenched her fists twice, mentally preparing herself.
“Having gathered strength is good, but for now……………..”
Following Loki, who turned his head, Sepia looked around.
The training ground was already a mess, but the spirits had stopped their rampage and were lying unconscious in corners.
Sorry. It was because of her own inadequacy that things turned out like this.
More regrets might arise in the future, but she was determined to endure.
‘Yes, let’s take it slow.’
For over ten years, she had done nothing but wait.
That man. No, she could wait longer if it meant killing Vetsdo with her own hands.
If Loki said anything, she would follow, as long as she could kill Vetsdo with her own strength.
Now, she didn’t have to navigate the dark voyage with no sight ahead.
Loki in front of her would guide her to wherever he went.